1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bee and wasp trap for use in connection with outdoor activities. The bee and wasp trap has particular utility in connection with efficient abatement of bees, yellow jackets, and other stinging insects around the exterior of residential homes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bee and wasp traps are desirable for trapping stinging insects and allowing individuals to enjoy outdoor activities.
The use of insect traps is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,772,729 to Pisani discloses an insect trap. However, the Pisani ""729 patent does not provide for attracting insects to the trap, and has the further drawbacks of not providing for hanging the trap to efficiently attract flying insects, and not providing for turning the trap on and off to make the trap active and inactive at different times.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,139,717 to Pipenhagen discloses an insect trap. However, the Pipenhagen ""717 patent does not provide for hanging the trap, and additionally does not provide for turning the trap on and off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,880 to Schneidmiller discloses a yellow jacket trap. However, the Schneidmiller ""880 patent does not provide for turning the trap on and off to make the trap active and inactive at different times.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,941 to Schneidmiller discloses an insect trap selective for wasps. However, the Schneidmiller ""941 patent does not provide for turning the trap on and off to make the trap active and inactive at different times.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 372,513 to Schneidmiller discloses the top portion of a yellow jacket control trap. However, the Schneidmiller ""513 patent does not provide a complete and active insect trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,560 to Donahue et al. discloses an insect trap. However, the Donahue ""560 patent does not provide for easily turning the trap on and off to make the trap active and inactive at different times.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,185,935 to Pugh discloses an insect trap. However, the Pugh ""935 patent does not provide for hanging the trap to efficiently attract flying insects, and additionally does not provide for turning the trap on and off to make the trap active and inactive at different times.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,461 to Brown, Jr. et al. discloses a bait insecticide for carpenter ants. However, the Brown, Jr. ""461 patent does not provide an apparatus to trap flying insects.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a bee and wasp trap that allows efficient abatement of bees, yellow jackets, and other stinging insects around the exterior of residential homes. The prior art patents makes no provision for an efficient design to facilitate attracting flying insects and to easily turn the trap on and off to make the trap active and inactive at different times.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved bee and wasp trap that can be used for efficient abatement of bees, yellow jackets, and other stinging insects around the exterior of residential homes. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the bee and wasp trap according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of efficient abatement of bees, yellow jackets, and other stinging insects around the exterior of residential homes and at the location of outdoor activities.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of insect traps now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved bee and wasp trap, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved bee and wasp trap which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a bee and wasp trap which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a bee and wasp trap, comprising a base unit, at least one side handle connected to the outer surface of the base unit, a funnel shaped insert having a narrow opening at the bottom and configured to fit within the base unit, a lid, and a bait inside the bottom of the base unit.
In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a bee and wasp trap, comprising a base unit, at least one side handle connected to the outer surface of the base unit, a hole in each side handle, a funnel shaped insert having a narrow opening at the bottom and configured to fit within the base unit, at least one internal lug connected to the top of the funnel shaped insert, a hole in each lug, a lid, at least one tab connected to the bottom of the lid, at least one pin connected to the side of each tab, a top handle connected to the lid, and a bait inside the bottom of the base unit.
In another embodiment, the present invention comprises a bee and wasp trap for efficient abatement of bees, wasps, and other stinging insects, comprising a cylindrical base unit having a bottom surface and a curved side wall, two side handles connected to the outside of the side wall of the base unit, a hole in each side handle, an internal thread at the top of the side wall of the base unit, a curved funnel shaped insert having a narrow opening at the bottom and an external thread at the wide top configured to fit the internal thread of the side wall of the base unit, a plurality of internal lugs connected to the top of the funnel shaped insert, a hole in each lug, a lid, a plurality of tabs connected to the bottom of the lid, at least one pin connected to the side of each tab, a top handle connected to the lid, and a bait inside the bottom of the cylindrical base unit, wherein the lid is configured to fit at the top of the base unit and funnel shaped insert such that rotation of the lid engages the pins within the lug holes and reverse rotation disengages the pins from the lug holes, and such that removal of the lid turns the trap on to attract bees, wasps, and other stinging insects.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
The invention may also include screws, hooks, and other attachments. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved bee and wasp trap that has all of the advantages of the prior art insect traps and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved bee and wasp trap that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bee and wasp trap that has a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such bee and wasp trap economically available to the buying public.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new bee and wasp trap that provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a bee and wasp trap for efficient abatement of bees, yellow jackets, and other stinging insects around the exterior of residential homes. This prevents these insects from returning to a hive or nest and drawing more insects to the exterior of the homes.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bee and wasp trap for efficient abatement of bees, yellow jackets, and other stinging insects around the location of outdoor activities. This makes it possible for individuals to enjoy outdoor activities without being stung by insects.